Ex-defense OIC Faustino nag-resign 'nang malamang si Centino na uli AFP chief'
MANILA, Philippines — Aminado si Jose Faustino Jr., dating officer-in-charge ng Department of National Defense, na agad siyang nagbitiw sa pwesto matapos mapag-alamang ibinalik sa pwesto ang dating chief of staff ng Armed Forces of the Philippines na si Gen. Andres Centino.
Ito ang ibinahagi ni Faustino, Martes, sa media isang araw matapos sabihin ng Presidential Communications Office nitong Lunes na tinanggap na ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ang kanyang resignation.
Nangyari ito habang umuugong ang mga usap-usapang planong "destabilization," "kudeta" at iringan ngayon sa hanay ng mga opisyales ng militar. Pinabulaanan na ng mga pulis at militar ang mga sinasabing destabilization plot.
"With utmost respect, I submitted my irrevocable letter of resignation to the President, His Excellency Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., on Friday, January 6, 2023, after learning only from news and social media reports that an oath of office of the new Chief of Staff, AFP had taken place at Malacanang," sabi niya kanina sa ulat ng CNN Philippines.
"[The AFP] is a highly disciplined and competent organization that will survive under any given circumstance. Thus, fully cognizant of the selfless and courage of our troops and civilian human resources, I cannot allow the AFP's reputation to be tarnished, maligned, or politicized."
Biyernes lang nang pangunahan ni Bongbong ang oath-taking ni Centino bilang bagong chief of staff ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas, limang buwan lang matapos niyang bitiwan ang parehong pwesto para kay Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro.
Agosto 2022 lang nang iwan ni Centino kay Bacarro ang pwesto ng pagiging pinakamataas na opisyal ng militar, maliban sa presidente. Dahil sa pagbibitiw ni Faustino, ibinigay naman ni Marcos Jr. ang naiwang posisyon kay Carlito Galvez Jr.
Nangyayari ang lahat ng ito ngayong kakasumite pa lang ng mahigit 600 police colonels at generals ng kanilang courtesy resignation bilang tugon sa apela ni Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos kaugnay ng kalakalan ng iligal na droga.
"I wish nothing but the best for our country, our people, and our President," dagdag pa ni Faustino.
"It was an honor to have had the oppurtunity to serve the Filipino people in my former capacity as [OIC] of the DND... Maraming salamat po, at mabuhay ang Republika ng Pilipinas!"
AFP tikom sa Faustino resignation
Ayaw naman magkomento sa ngayon ng pamunuan ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas patungkol sa pagbibitiw ni Faustino kaugnay ng pagtatalaga kay Centino.
"I think I am not competent enough to make a reaction on something that is way above my pay grade," sagot ni AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar sa panayam ng state-run PTV4 ngayong araw.
"We support the designation of Secretary Carlito Galvez as the Secretary of the [DND], him being a former [AFP] chief of staff, a military officer and a peace advocate."
Aniya, ito raw ang mga katangiang magtitiyak na magiging epektibo si Galvez sa kanyang tungkulin. Pinasalamatan naman ni Aguilar si Faustino sa kanyang pamumuno at gabay sa pangunguna sa DND.
Bagama't "normal" naman daw ang operasyon ngayon ng Defense department, sinabi ng spokesperson ng DND na si Director Arsenio Andolong na nagsumite na rin ng courtesy resignations ang iba pang upper-level defense officials dahil coterminus sila kay Faustino.
'Duterte generals,' paksyunan, pulitika?
Ayon naman sa progresibong ACT Teachers party-list, delikado ang kaguluhang ito sa hanay ng militar at kapulisan lalo na't maaaring sinyales ito ng malawakang palakasan, na siyang posibleng mauwi raw sa tensyon at adbenturismo.
"The current dominant faction in Malacañang apparently succeeded in booting out individuals identified with [former Executive Secretary Vic] Rodriguez from key positions in the DND and AFP but in the process placed Duterte generals whose loyalties and policies may still lie with the former president and his family and not with President Marcos Jr.," ani House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro.
"Such political maneuverings involving the armed forces is very dangerous because such activities highlight the patronage system in the military and may lead to tensions within their ranks or even military adventurism if worse comes to worst."
Lalo lang din daw itong pinalalala ng pagkainis ng ilang opisyal na naapektuhan ng Republic Act 11709, na siyang nilagdaan ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Abril 2022.
Dahil sa RA 11709, nagtakda ito ng fixed term na tatlo hanggang apat na taon para sa karamihan ng senior AFP officers, kasama na ang chief of staff at commanders ng Army, Air Force at Navy.
"In hindsight, while President Duterte practiced the 'revolving door' policy for AFP chiefs of staff during most of his term, the implementation of RA 11709 during the last months of the Duterte administration may have been a rear guard move to ensure that the AFP chief and the top brass for at least three years would be indebted to him and not the incoming president then," panapos ni Castro.
- Latest
